Improvement in processes of treating tobacco



UNITED STATES PATEN OFFICE.

JOSEPH BARTON, JR, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO JOSHUA K. ROGERS, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN PROCESSES OF TREATING TOBACCO.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 158.015, dated December 22, 1874; application filed October 7, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosEPn BARTON, Jr., of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Process of Treating Tobacco, of which the following is a specification My invention relates to a new and improved process of treating or preparing American or other inferior grades of tobacco so as to impart the flavor, taste, and qualities of genuine Havana tobacco to the same, or flavors and qualities superior thereto, and at the same time to deprive the tobacco of manyof its nox ious qualities, and render it highly valuable as a medicinal agent.

My invention is designed for the manufacture and preparation of smoking-tobacco, particularly to the preparation of tobacco for the manufacture of cigars and it consists in first depriving the tobacco of its nicotine by subjectingit to the action of a chemical agent that will remove the same, then drying it quickly and expeditiously by suitable means, and afterwardcombining with it the extracted juice of the genuine Havana tobacco, together with various other flavoring, stimulating, and medicinal agents, as will be hereinafter fully describe:

In carrying out my invention, 1 first subjectthe tobacco to the action of a weak solution of carbolic acid, which will remove a greater portion of the nicotine. For this purpose the tobacco is saturated or soaked in the above solution for a few hours, after which it is subjected to heavy pressure, and then dried by rapid rotation in a centrifugal machine, by artificial heat, or in any other convenient manner that will dry it with sufficient rapidity. The tobacco is then impregnated with the juice of Havana tobacco, extracted from the stems, the same being accomplished by dipping in such quantities as to give it the desired strength, to which are added the essence of vanilla and attar of roses, for the purpose of increasing the fragrance, and the essential oil of various spices, to impart to it beneficial stimulating qualities, and chlorate of potassa, which possesses well-known medicinal qualities, valuable in many throat diseases.

The tobacco treated with the above ingredients, in the manner described, possesses a strength equal to, if not superior to, the best Havana tobacco, and has not its injurious qualities, as it is deprived almost wholly of its nicotine or noxious agent. Besides, it possesses valuable medicinal and curative qualities, owing to the carbolic acid, chlorate of potash, and the various spice essences, which are well known and commonly used as curative agents in most throat affections.

What I claim is- The process herein described of preparing and curing leaf-tobacco, the same consisting in removing the nicotine by subjecting the tobacco to the action of a solution of carbolic acid, then subjecting it to heavy pressure and dryingit, and finally impregnatingit with juice of tobacco of superior qualities, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set myhand.

JOSEPH BARTON, JR.

Witnesses:

JOSHUA PARKHOUSE, ISAAC D. GARFIELD. 

